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Highland Local Association

Promoted Posts in Highland Schools 2003 277k

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Promoted Posts in Highland Schools

This position paper addresses issues related to:

• implementation in Highland schools of the McCrone settlement and the implications of SNCT 14
• the outcomes of job-sizing
• Post McCrone promoted post structures in Highland Council schools.

It introduces broad principles on which further, more detailed, proposals will be based after the following issues have been resolved:

• the outcomes of job-sizing
• the future of Guidance in Secondary schools and the introduction of Principal Teacher posts in Primary schools
• the review of support staff
• arrangements for the management of small schools.

1. Background

1.1 The 2001 Agreement - A Teaching Profession for the 21st Century stresses the importance of the classroom teacher.

1.2 It makes a clear distinction between teaching and management functions.

1.3 It establishes flatter management in schools by removing the posts of Assistant Headteacher, Assistant Principal Teacher, and Senior Teacher.

1.4 It creates an opportunity to establish promoted post structures appropriate to the needs of pupils, parents, and Highland schools in the 21st century.

1.5 In the long term, school management will have to be flexible and robust enough to respond to a wide range of new challenges such as the 2000 Education Act, National Priorities for Education, the Inclusion Agenda, flexible approaches to the curriculum and opportunities provided by ICT.

1.6 Highland schools are diverse, varying considerably in size and in the age profiles, career aspirations, and mobility of staff. The process of change will necessarily be evolutionary and will have to be managed in a sensitive and appropriate way. It will also have to be based on a long-term view of appropriate and effective management structures.

1.7 The Authority has established principles on which new structures will be based.

2. Principles for taking forward school structures

New promoted post structures will be based on the following principles:

• The vision, values, philosophy, work and ethos of the school are shared with its whole community and put into practice in clearly identifiable ways.

 

• The school is a learning community, in which all students, parents, teaching staff, support staff, other agencies and the wider community are partners in a lifelong learning process.

 

• The expertise and time of staff and the resources of the school focus on meeting the needs of every child.

 

• A commitment to a culture of achievement and continuous improvement.

 

• A commitment to the equality and worth of every individual member of the school community which recognises that each individual has rights and responsibilities and which seeks to remove barriers to individual progress.

 

• Time, facilities and professional expertise are focused on learning and teaching which is the core function of the school.

 

• Management practices are open and flexible enough to ensure that all members of staff feel themselves to be part of the school and able to work in partnership.

 

• Roles of all promoted staff and links between all the agencies concerned with meeting the needs of the child are clear.

 

• Principles of team-working and collegiality and an integrated approach to supporting all children and their families are established.

 

• The professional expertise of staff at every level in the school is continually developed, enhanced and used effectively.

 

• All teaching and support staff have remits which clarify their roles, rights, responsibilities and tasks which clearly reflect the need to engage with all sections of the school’s local community.

 

• A commitment to the development of pupils’ flexible and transferable skills is embedded in the philosophy and practice of the school.

 

• Clear and appropriate curriculum links and inter-personal contacts with staff in associated pre-school, primary, secondary and FE institutions.

3. Secondary Schools

A Management

3.1 Management teams in secondary schools will comprise Headteacher, Deputy Headteachers, and Principal Teachers.

3.2 Management structures in Highland secondary schools will be revised in light of:

• the removal of APT/ST and AHT posts

 

• the job-sizing toolkit

 

• remits defined in line with Annex B of the 2001 Agreement

 

• the need to operate within current staffing budgets

 

• equality of opportunity

3.3 In considering promoted post structures headteachers and the education authority will ensure that management remits reflect best practice as defined in How Good is Our School? 2002 and that there is a clear distinction between management functions and non-management tasks as outlined in Annex B of the 2001 Agreement.

3.4 Promoted post remits will be built on Annex B of the 2001 Agreement.

3.5 In the light of Annex E of the 2001 Agreement, promoted post structures will be reviewed alongside the duties of support staff (admin/clerical and classroom assistants) and senior management.

3.6 In reviewing alternative promoted post structures in secondary schools the authority and headteachers need to bear in mind that demographic trends indicate that school rolls are likely to fall significantly.

B Support for Pupils

3.7 Pupils continue to need ongoing personal, social, curricular, and vocational advice and support underpinned by a programme of personal and social education. Changing lifestyles in 21st Century society and new initiatives such as New Community Schools, the Inclusion Agenda, Discipline Task Group initiatives, and joint working with other agencies have a significant impact on schools.

3.8 Although the 2001 Agreement makes no specific recommendations on Support for Pupils, it will have a major influence on management structures, including former Guidance structures, which support pupils in secondary schools. A clear distinction will be made between management responsibilities and other duties. Meanwhile a national working group is examining the future of Guidance in all Scottish schools.

3.9 Support for Pupils in Highland secondary schools will be based on an integrated and holistic approach which will include, Guidance, Support for Learners, and Behaviour Support. Promoted post structures in this area must, therefore, be flexible enough to respond to change and ensure effective joint working.

3.10 Some schools in Highland have already established excellent Support for Pupil structures. These provide models of good practice for all schools.

3.11 Annex B of A Teaching Profession for the 21st Century outlines the duties of all teachers including pastoral non-management aspects of guidance. These pastoral duties focus principally on:

• Providing advice and guidance to pupils on issues related to their education

 

• Promoting and safeguarding the health, welfare and safety of pupils

 

• Working in partnership with parents, support staff and other professionals

 

• Contributing towards good order and the wider needs of the school.

3.12 In future, teachers who wish to pursue a career or professional interest in Support for Pupils may wish to undertake staff development related to the pastoral care of pupils. Such staff would be given time for non-management tasks to enable them to acquire experience and develop appropriate skills. Their duties would be in line with Annex B but would focus particularly on advising and supporting pupils.

4. Primary schools

A Management

4.1 Management teams in primary schools will, depending on the size of school, comprise some or all of the following: Headteacher, Deputy Headteachers, and Principal Teachers.

4.2 Management structures in Highland primary schools will be revised in light of:

• the removal of ST and AHT posts

 

• the job-sizing toolkit
   
  
• the development of cluster arrangements in Highland
   
  
• remits defined in line with Annex B of the 2001 Agreement
   
  
• the need to operate within current staffing budgets
   
  
• equality of opportunity

4.3 In considering promoted post structures headteachers and the education authority will ensure that management remits reflect best practice as defined in How Good is Our School? 2002 and that there is a clear distinction between management functions and non-management tasks.

4.4 Promoted post remits will be based on Annex B of the 2001 Agreement.

4.5 In the light of Annex E of the 2001 Agreement, promoted post structures will be reviewed alongside the duties of support staff (admin/clerical and classroom assistants) and school management.

4.6 In the new structures Headteachers, Deputy Headteachers and PTs in primary schools will be given time in which to carry out their management duties.

4.7 In considering alternative promoted post structures in primary schools, the following factors need to be borne in mind:

• demographic trends indicate that school rolls are likely to fall significantly

 

• management tasks impose heavy demands on the teaching headteacher

 

• all schools require a promoted post-holder on site with responsibility for day to day running of education

 

• single teacher schools should have a second adult permanently on site

B Support for Pupils

4.8 In primary schools, the management of support for pupils will continue to rest with the Headteacher or with the school management team. The class teacher will continue to undertake duties described in Annex B of the 2001 Agreement.

4.9 Support for Pupils in Highland primary schools will be based on an integrated and holistic approach, which will include Support for Learners, and Behaviour Support. Promoted post structures will be flexible enough to respond to change and ensure effective joint working.

4.10 The Support for Learners function will continue to be the responsibility of the primary class-teacher with input from additional Support for Learners staff determined by the Headteacher in consultation with the Area Education Manager and the Area Learning Support Team Leader.

4.11 In some primary schools or clusters of primary schools, there will be an opportunity to appoint Principal Teachers (Support for Pupils) whose remits will include responsibility for pastoral care and Support for Learners.

5 Budget links

5.1 These proposals are based on the assumption that core staffing costs will remain the same, subject to normal inflation.

5.2 It is recognised that the reduction of teachers’ class contact time to 22 ½ hours will require additional staffing.

5.3 The Education Authority recognises the importance of support staff as part of the National Agreement and will endeavour to introduce these as a matter of priority.

6 Transition: SNCT 14

6.1 On 1 August 2003, APT and ST posts will cease to exist. Postholders will assimilate to a common point on the Chartered Teacher scale which is equivalent to point 1 on the new Principal Teacher scale.

6.2 These post-holders will have the option to relinquish their APT or ST post, assume the role of teacher and be eligible for further progression on the Chartered Teacher scale or where substantive posts become available within any new promoted post/Support for Pupils structure, to be automatically considered for such posts.

6.3 All such posts will be job sized at the earliest opportunity and the outcome will be made known to APTs/STs prior to their agreeing to move to new positions.

6.4 Where there are fewer new or substantive posts than there are APTs and STs, appointments will be made within the Authority’s normal arrangements for internal promoted post appointments.

6.5 To ensure continuity of provision for pupils, where transitional arrangements are necessary for the effective management and delivery of Support for Pupils, the authority will consider creating temporary acting PT Support for Pupils posts. The arrangements outlined in 6.2 and 6.3 will apply.

6.6 Where agreed, temporary, acting appointments will take effect from August 2003 and will terminate at June 2004 but, with the approval of the Director of Education, Culture and Sport, may be extended in exceptional circumstances lasting no longer than 23 months.

6.7 All such temporary PT posts will be job-sized before appointment and the outcome will be made known to APTs/STs prior to their agreeing to move to these temporary positions. At the end of the term of any acting PT contract, post holders will retain their full rights as APTs under SNCT 14.

6.8 Once new management structures are established all permanent promoted posts that fall vacant will be filled according to Highland Council policies.

6.9 Until the new structures have been finalised, the Education Authority has placed an embargo on automatic replacement of all promoted posts other than Headteachers.

6.10 Where it is clear, however, in the particular circumstances of a vacancy, that a permanent post is required, the Headteacher, in consultation with the Area Manager, may move to advertise in the normal way.

6.11 Disputes arising out of the implementation of SNCT14 and this advice will be referred in the first instance to the Joint Secretaries of the LNCT and thereafter if necessary to the normal grievance procedure.

7 Transition: New structures

7.1 In accordance with SNCT 14:

• The Council will assess the level of need for PT posts

 

• The position of APTs and STs will be addressed

7.2 Once job sizing has been completed and national weightings have been established for levels of post, the job-sizing toolkit will be used to link promoted post structures to a roll related funding formula.

7.3 The authority will determine the level of need for PT posts within its promoted post structures in order to maintain or improve delivery of the education service.

7.4 The staffing budget will determine the finances available in each school and the Authority will establish guidelines on future promoted post structures based on the principles identified in section 2.

7.5 Transitional arrangements for the implementation of SNCT 14 and progress toward any new structures will be monitored by the LNCT on a regular basis.

7.6 Disputes arising out of the application of the transitional arrangements will be referred in the first instance to the Joint Secretaries of the LNCT and thereafter to the normal grievance procedure.

7.7 Recognising the need for flexibility, schools will be given the opportunity of establishing appropriate structures within the Authority guidelines provided that staff and School Boards are consulted. The Authority will require to agree such structures before they are finally ratified.

7.8 The Authority will also consult on alternative structures for managing clusters of primary schools.

8 ACTION

The Education Authority will:

• Consult the LNCT on a template for promoted post structures in schools, which recognises the need for flexibility to meet local circumstances

 

• Explore options and pilot possible models for alternative management structures for clusters of primary schools.

Headteachers should:

• Consult subject APTs and Senior Teachers on their options, taking full account of the terms of SNCT 14 and the needs of the school, and ensure that effective arrangements for curricular management are in place when there are no longer substantive posts for a current post holder to take up.

 

• Consult staff, School Boards, and the Education Authority on appropriate and feasible structures for their schools on receipt of the Authority template.

 

• In secondary schools, consult with Guidance teachers, Guidance, and Support for Learners teams and the school consultation committee or SCG. Establish a framework for the Tuesday, 11 March 2003delivery of Support for Pupils, taking full account of the terms of SNCT 14, the needs of the school and the recommendations of the Discipline Task Group.

 

• Consult with APTs management in small Secondary schools, taking full account of the terms of SNCT 14 and the needs of the school and ensure that effective arrangements for curricular management are in place where there are no substantive posts for a current post holder to take up.

 

• In primary schools, consult with Senior Teachers, the school negotiating committee and the Education Authority. Establish a framework for PT posts to which they could move, taking full account of the terms of SNCT 14, the needs of the school and the recommendations of the Discipline Task Group. Plan for transition recognising that this will be an evolutionary process.

Contact:

Andrew M Stewart
EIS Highland Local Association Secretary
98 Obsdale Park
ALNESS
Ross-shire IV17 0TR
Tel: 01349 884750
E-mail: Andrew.Stewart@highland.gov.uk or astewart@eis.org.uk